Scope leveling - Is this close enough?

[mikeawesome]

Hey guys,

I created this picture in MS paint to show what my two leveling bubbles look like after I tightened down my scope. As you can see the handguard bubble is perfectly level, but the level on top of the scope is slightly off-center.

Does that small variance even matter once I zero the scope at 100 yards? If so, how often do you guys confirm that your scopes are 100% level as shooting lots of rounds can slightly offcenter them.

Thanks,

 

[Chiquita]

You can't get both bubbles to line up coherently?

The longer the distance the more POI change you will see. But I can't put a number on it.

I am sure others will chime in with a better answer.

 

[Dub]

take the time to get it perfect

 

[Straightshooter1]

Hey guys,

I created this picture in MS paint to show what my two leveling bubbles look like after I tightened down my scope. As you can see the handguard bubble is perfectly level, but the level on top of the scope is slightly off-center.

Typically, it's not a good idea to use the handguard as something to try and level the scope up with. The scope rail is a much better place to try and level you're scope to. And, I might add, leveling off the top of the scope (like the vertical adjustment cap/nob) is often unreliable. I use the flat area on the bottom of the scope to level with the scope rail, which works really well for me (level is magnetic, holding fast to the scope or rail, and no problem not have to hold it in place or if the rifle or scope is jared).

Does that small variance even matter once I zero the scope at 100 yards? If so, how often do you guys confirm that your scopes are 100% level as shooting lots of rounds can slightly offcenter them.

It's doesn't matter if you stay at 100 yds., but the further you go out the more it makes a difference. You can test how vertical drawing a perfectly vertical line on a large piece of butcher paper and running your vertical adjustment to the bottom and take a couple shots, then run the adjustment all the way to the top and shoot at the same POA. Where the POI's are in relation to the vertical line will tell you how far off you might be as you're looking for the POI's to be the same distance from and on the same side of the line.

 

[jelenko]

lots of rounds can slightly offcenter them

I haven't experience my scope moving in the mount over many thousands of rounds.
If the screws aren't torqued right, they can loosen - allowing the scope to move in the rings or the mount to wiggle. Best to use a torque wrench/screwdriver initially and periodically to confirm torque.

 

[Delfuego]

Use a plumb-line. Gravity always works and never lies.

 

[Alwayscoldbore]

Use a plumb-line. Gravity always works and never lies.

Agreed, dead simple, never lies......and get a scope level.....I'm pretty decent at "eyeballing".....but after you put a level on (that's calibrated with plumb ret)
Yes see how far you think is level is really off especially in the hills ...

 

[BoydAllen]

No, not by my standards...It is so easy to get them both centered. Why would you not? Did you lap or bed the rings?

 

[46and2]

Use a plumb-line. Gravity always works and never lies.

Well....gravity eventually makes a plumbline lie. https://www.researchgate.net/figure...e-DP-represents-the-plumb-line_fig4_243491697 (coriolis)

But for our purposes, I always use a plumb line. I use the bolt raceway and a shim with a small level to get the action level.

Also, not all levels read correctly. If you turn the level 180° and it doesn't read exactly the same, it is wrong.

 

[iukamedic]

Mikeawesome I have tried several methods. What ever method you use if you get the scope and bore to the same place that’s where you want to be. Even at a hundred yards small correction are difficult with poor alignment. If you have a true flat base on the bottom of your scope you can level to your rail with a feeler gauge. Check your reticle with a plumb line on the wall through your bore. Always start with sight alignment before you start correcting other things like poi. Hope this helps.

 

[marazzi59]

Level the gun from the receivers top rail or the scope mount rail. Then hang a plumb bob on a wall. Insert flashlight into occular lense. Turn down room lights and this will project reticle onto the wall. Use the parallax and magnification adjustment to focus reticle on wall. Once level lock down scope and install scope level.

 

[jghoghunter]

Level the gun from the receivers top rail or the scope mount rail. Then hang a plumb bob on a wall. Insert flashlight into occular lense. Turn down room lights and this will project reticle onto the wall. Use the parallax and magnification adjustment to focus reticle on wall. Once level lock down scope and install scope level.

Well how about that!!! Never saw that way before! But will be giving it a try.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

The flashlight method works well. I usually use a plumb line at 100 yards, level the rifle, match reticle to plumb line and torque ring screws. I like 2 vertical 1" black lines, 1" apart, 24" long.

 

[PatMiles]

Level the gun from the receivers top rail or the scope mount rail. Then hang a plumb bob on a wall. Insert flashlight into occular lense. Turn down room lights and this will project reticle onto the wall. Use the parallax and magnification adjustment to focus reticle on wall. Once level lock down scope and install scope level.

You can teach an old dog new tricks!

 

[troupe]

The plumb line and light is the best method. You can't trust the outside of the scope, it is what is on the inside that matters. You also need to keep the rifle level when doing it. Sometimes when the scope rings get tightened, the scope will move. Take the time to get it right. Remember if it is off internally, as you move up or down, you can also be moving left and right with your adjustments if it is not perfect.

 

[BoydAllen]

Level the gun from the receivers top rail or the scope mount rail. Then hang a plumb bob on a wall. Insert flashlight into occular lense. Turn down room lights and this will project reticle onto the wall. Use the parallax and magnification adjustment to focus reticle on wall. Once level lock down scope and install scope level.

Slick! Thanks. Learned something. Like that.

 

[Mulligan]

Level the gun from the receivers top rail or the scope mount rail. Then hang a plumb bob on a wall. Insert flashlight into occular lense. Turn down room lights and this will project reticle onto the wall. Use the parallax and magnification adjustment to focus reticle on wall. Once level lock down scope and install scope level.

That's the tip of the week!!!

CW

 

[newbieshooter]

from the archives:

New scope test that anyone can try

Today I saw a Youtube video demonstrating how to align a rifle scope by using a flashlight shining through its objective to project the reticle onto a wall. After watching it, I saw a that there was another video on doing a tall target test (shooting at the range) to test whether a scope's...

forum.accurateshooter.com

How do I adjust scope bubble level

I am going to shoot a Tall Target Test per Litz's video this weekend and want to adjust the bubble level on my scope if necessary. The bubble level is attached to my scope externally, its not internal to the scope. The reticle is aligned with the rifle action. When I installed the scope, I...

forum.accurateshooter.com

Cross Hair / Scope Leveler

Which cross hair / scope levelers work properly? What non-magnetics work on stainless barrels?

forum.accurateshooter.com

several videos on using the flashlight method here's one from years ago (maybe the one Boyd was referencing):

 

[Bocephus]

Level the gun from the receivers top rail or the scope mount rail. Then hang a plumb bob on a wall. Insert flashlight into occular lense. Turn down room lights and this will project reticle onto the wall. Use the parallax and magnification adjustment to focus reticle on wall. Once level lock down scope and install scope level.

Great tip. It does appear the light is in the objective lens though. I’ll try both!

 

[mikecr]

I can simplify LEVEL: You want true point of aim (POA) precisely correlating with point of impact (POI)..

Easiest way to get there is with setting bubble to the scope TUBE.
And from there you can move the scope from gun to gun, never messing with level about that scope again.
For example; when you put that scope on a different gun, you shoot a box while minding the scope's level, and turn the scope in it's rings until POI is printing plumb. Tighten rings,, done.

You can then disregard scope flats, rings, bases, action, bedding, stock, handguard, barrel, rest, table, ground. None of it matters to level, which is good, because the summation of all this can amount to any abstract.
Think about it,,
-was the stock finishing, including forearm flats & inletting plumb?
-was the workbench level when you mounted a stock as level to bed it?
-was the action plumb to the stock on bedding?
-was the finished barrel bore indexed plumb to the action?
-will the combination bases, rings, and scope erector be plumb to the action?
-will all of this combine to plumb with your gun on a bipod in the field?

I can imagine plenty of good guns where these individual matters actually combine & counter what people think they're achieving with bubble toys.
Sometimes I think people muddle the squareness (perpendicularity, axis alignments) of a gun build with level shooting. They're not the same, and shooting across different distances can show build errors regardless of good level.